There’s a tendency among PC gamers to just love customising things. Many of us build our own rigs to suit our needs with fairly modular parts. There are even modular Intel laptops now. Add to that choosing peripherals like keyboard and mouse combinations, and it’s fair to say we can be a fairly demanding bunch when it comes to customisations.
Keyboards are often one of the biggest choices when it comes to customisation. There are plenty of different types, sizes, keys, even styling keycaps. Plus, many of us use our keyboards for more than just gaming, so there’s plenty to consider. A modular keyboard sounds like it could be a smart solution, and this one from Work Louder looks like it has all knobs and dials you could ever want.
Work Louder is making modular keyboards designed to be customised to your workflows and they’re currently available for preorder. They feature 3 primary boards in a modular grid system which can be arranged and customised. They consist of a work board for the main familiar keyboard portion, as well as a nano pad and loop pad. These can then be outfitted with different keys or knobs, depending on what you want to achieve with this set up.
Many of these customisations are aimed more inline with creators than straight up gamers. There seems more usefulness in some of these components for specific tasks, like zooming or changing brush sizes in digital art apps, or changing settings while editing music. Though it does also boast robust macro potential for apps and games alike.
Perfect peripherals
Best gaming mouse: the top rodents for gaming
Best gaming keyboard: your PC’s best friend…
Best gaming headset: don’t ignore in-game audio
The Work Louder website boasts some of the most used apps with these modular keyboards are programmes like Adobe Creative Cloud and Final Cut Pro X. But the list also does include prominent streaming apps like OBS Studio, which would definitely take full advantage of such a keyboard.
The modular keyboards come in several different variants starting with The Starter which can be preordered for $259.98. This configuration includes the base hub with the standard work board. Bumping up to The Worker adds the side nano pad whereas The Maker option adds a loop pad at the top. Lastly is The Creator, which is up for preorder for $399.99 and appears to be the complete keyboard with all pads.
No matter the config, each level of keyboard is designed to be upgradeable to The Creator level, and are promised to work with future modules released. Whether or not they’re any good for gaming needs to be tested, but they do have customisable RGB so we’re at least being courted.
Right now Work Louder is also doing a competition where you can win a keyboard by sharing your creativity over on the company’s discord.
If you’re after a more traditional modular gamer keyboard, check out something like the Glorious Modular Mechanical Keyboard or perhaps the super budget friendly customisable Vissles V84 gaming keyboard. Regardless, these keyboards seem like a neat modular solution for the PC all rounder.
